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Friday, July 10, 2009

Apparently they can.... even though they have a large sign in the waiting room that states that they cannot refuse services if you are unable to pay.

Sarah has a history of ovarian cysts (she has never been hospitalized but was diagnosed by a doctor a few years ago).... she has been experiencing pain in her abdomen off and on for a couple of months now and hurting for the last few days. She requested that I take her back to the ER (she's been twice in the last few months for the same pain)... and this time they refused to treat her unless she could give them $125. She is 20 years old and has no insurance and no job so she doesn't have $125. She informed them that refusing service is illegal... and that it states so on their own sign in the waiting room... but they still sent her packing.

I really think that she'll be ok for now... but what if she's not??? What if it is another cyst and it ruptures??? She's getting a friend to take her to a different ER tonight... hopefully they'll treat her.

This is the United States of America and we can't get medical treatment because we can't afford it???

8 comments:

that totally pisses me off! who the hell do they think they are! this country is supposed to be the best and it always amazes me that a person can't get medical care!

my sister was diagnosed with a liver disease that only 1 in a million people get. she has worked all her life and now is on disability. while waiting for a year to get that, she was on medicaid. now they took her off that and she can't get medicare for 2 years. she needs a transplant within the next 3 years and they won't even schedule it unless she has at least 80 grand up front! yea right! so i understand the frustration.

When something like this happens, document it. If you have a cellphone, take pictures and/or video. Note the date and time that it happens. Get the name of the person denying service. Ask to speak with a supervisor and note the response and any names of anyone else you speak with.

With this, provide the information to your town, city, or county's public health office as well as the Attorney General's office in the state and any local media.

Post the details here on your blog, as well as any responses you get from any of the people you contact.

OMG... PJ I feel so bad for your sister :( I can't imagine being faced with that serious of a medical issue and not being able to get treatment... and I'm stunned that they took her off of medicaid. It breaks my heart to know that she's going through this.

And thanks Aldon... I'll damned sure document it if it happens again. I should have taken a picture of the sign in the waiting room too!

Oh brother.....I have a feeling things are going to get worse. With all of the rumors going around about cut this and cut that...oh and that seniors need to stop whining and just accept getting old...I am really getting worried about how things will end up.I am so sorry to hear about this incident and I hope she will be alright.

Unfortunately the primary concern for every medical facility that I know of is their pocket. Even our county funded and operated Health Department has their hand out... they would rather have women getting pregnant when they don't want another child... and then end up paying for the medical care of the pregnancy and delivery through medicaid... than to give birth control to women who can't afford to pay for it. What happened to free family planning?

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Have you ever thought about how our lives are like a spider's web? Each lil aspect... every tiny thing in our lives are like the threads of the web.... all woven together... all connected.... all having an effect on the other....

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